Former county employee arrested in Treasurer’s Office embezzlement

BEAUFORT - A former Beaufort County Treasurer's Office employee has been arrested and charged with embezzlement in connection with an ongoing investigation into missing funds.

Casaundra White, 29, of Yemassee, was arrested by Beaufort County Sheriff's Office investigators Wednesday morning at her home, according to a press release from Sgt. Robin McIntosh.

White was charged with six counts of embezzlement and five counts of conspiracy. She is accused of stealing more than $210,000 while working at the Treasurer's Office from February 2008 to November 2009.

County Administrator Gary Kubic contacted the Sheriff's Office in September 2009 after financial irregularities led to the discovery of missing funds at the Treasurer's Office.

Investigators spent several months attempting to determine how much money was missing before an independent audit of financial records was requested.

The audit determined that $210,012.44 was missing.

The ensuing investigation showed that White and her then-boyfriend Adrian Coore had conspired to and embezzled the missing money.

White and Coore created bank accounts in the names of non-existent businesses and White would file paperwork under the business names for tax overpayment reimbursement, specifying that the business owner wanted to pick up the check when it was available.

Once the check was issued, White would then take the check and deposit it in the corresponding bank account of the fictitious business, converting the funds for personal gain.

White is being held at the Beaufort County Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing, which is scheduled for 9 a.m. today.

Investigators are searching for Coore, who is wanted on five counts of conspiracy related to his participation in the embezzlement.

Coore is a 36-year-old black man, about 6-foot-1 and 182 pounds.

His last known address was 5607 Walker Circle in Burton.

Anyone with information about Coore's whereabouts is asked to contact either Investigator Staff Sgt. B. Baird at 470-3211 or the Beaufort County Dispatch Center at 524-2777.